Systems and methods for storing items with containers

ABSTRACT

Containers are provided. A representative container comprises: an outer shell defining an interior and having a lid, the outer shell having at least one opening for providing access to the interior, the lid being movable between an open position and a closed position, in the closed position the outer shell encasing the interior, in the open position the lid providing access to the interior, the outer shell comprising cardboard; a storage chamber formed within the interior and communicating with the opening, the storage chamber being adapted to receive at least one item; insulating material disposed within the interior between the storage chamber and the outer shell; and temperature-maintaining material disposed within the interior, the temperature-maintaining material comprising a super-absorbent.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

This application is a Continuation, based on and claiming priority toU.S. patent application entitled “Systems and Methods for Storing Itemswith Containers,” having Ser. No. 10/262,314, filed on Oct. 1, 2002, nowU.S. Pat. No. 6,698,231, which is a Continuation-in-Part Applicationbased on and claiming priority to U.S. patent application entitled,“Systems and Methods for Storing Items with Containers,” having Ser. No.10/236,764, filed on Sep. 5, 2002, now U.S. Pat. No. 6,557,370, issuedon May 6, 2003, which is a Continuation-in-Part Application based on andclaiming priority to U.S. patent application entitled “Systems andMethods for Storing Items with Containers,” having Ser. No. 10/135,606,filed on Apr. 30, 2002, now U.S. Pat. No. 6,502,417, issued on Jan. 7,2003, which is a Continuation-in-Part Application based on and claimingpriority to U.S. patent application entitled, “Transport Container,”having Ser. No. 09/817,680, filed on Mar. 26, 2001, now U.S. Pat. No.6,401,484, issued on Jun. 11, 2002, which is a Continuation-in-PartApplication based on and claiming priority to U.S. patent applicationentitled, “Re-Freezable Beverage Cooler,” having Ser. No. 09/409,319,filed Sep. 30, 1999, now U.S. Pat. No. 6,216,487, issued on Apr. 17,2001, each of which is incorporated herein by reference.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention generally relates to containers and, inparticular, to systems and methods that utilize containers for storingitems so that the temperature of the items may be maintained, raisedand/or cooled as desired.

2. Description of the Related Art

Oftentimes, it is desirable to transport items, such as beverages, forexample, in a portable container or cooler so that convenient access tothe beverages is provided, such as while playing golf, attendingsporting events, going to a beach, etc. Hereinbefore, such a containertypically has been formed of either insulating material, for maintainingthe temperature of previously chilled beverages, or a combination ofinsulating material and cooling material, such as blue ice, forinstance, whereby the cooling material chills a beverage stored withinthe container and the insulating material tends to maintain thetemperature of both the cooling material and the chilled beverages.

For example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,741,176, issued to Johnson, et al.,discloses a beverage cooler, which includes a cylindrical freezer-packinsert to be placed into a cup, and a cover. In an embodiment of theJohnson device, the cylindrical freezer-pack insert includes removablesections to change its size, and removable plugs for putting coolantfluid into the removable sections. Since, however, the Johnson device isadapted for inserting within an individual cup, the device is limitedfor use in cooling one beverage at a time.

As another example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,295,345, issued to Atkinson,discloses a cooling container for canned beverages. The Atkinson deviceincludes a reusable concave container for carrying and cooling cannedbeverages having a bottom section containing a plurality of cylindricalcompartments, a top section containing corresponding compartments havinga slow warming cooling gel in the upper end thereof, and a shoulderstrap for carrying the container. While it is apparent that the Atkinsondevice addresses the problem of cooling multiple beveragessimultaneously, it does not, however, provide for increased coolingefficiency of the beverages stored therein, as the cooling gel is storedonly in the upper end of the container.

It also may be desirable to transport other items in a portablecontainer. By way of example, various items, such as fluids, organsand/or other medical-related items, may require transport. Heretofore,these items typically have been transported within containers that arenot specifically adapted for these items. This inadequacy also isprevalent in fields other than the medical industry.

Therefore, there is a need for improved coolers which address theseand/or other shortcomings of the prior art.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Briefly stated, the present invention is directed to systems and methodsthat utilize containers for storing and/or transporting items. In thisregard, one such method includes: A method for storing items, saidmethod comprising: providing a container, the container having: an outershell defining an interior and having a lid, the outer shell having atleast one opening for providing access to the interior, the lid beingmovable between an open position and a closed position, in the closedposition the outer shell encasing the interior, in the open position thelid providing access to the interior, the outer shell comprisingcardboard; a storage chamber formed within the interior andcommunicating with the opening, the storage chamber being adapted toreceive at least one item; insulating material disposed within theinterior between the storage chamber and the outer shell; andtemperature-maintaining material disposed within the interior, thetemperature-maintaining material comprising a super-absorbent.

An embodiment of a container in accordance with the invention comprises:an outer shell defining an interior and having a lid, the outer shellhaving at least one opening for providing access to the interior, thelid being movable between an open position and a closed position, in theclosed position the outer shell encasing the interior, in the openposition the lid providing access to the interior, the outer shellcomprising cardboard; a storage chamber formed within the interior andcommunicating with the opening, the storage chamber being adapted toreceive at least one item; insulating material disposed within theinterior between the storage chamber and the outer shell; andtemperature-maintaining material disposed within the interior, thetemperature-maintaining material comprising a super-absorbent.

Another embodiment of a container in accordance with the inventioncomprises: an outer shell defining an interior; an insulating materialdisposed at least partially within the interior, the insulating materialcomprising soyoyl polyol; and a temperature-maintaining materialdisposed within the interior, the temperature-maintaining materialcomprising an acrylate-based super-absorbent.

Another embodiment of a container in accordance with the inventioncomprises an outer shell defining an interior, the outer shell definingan interior, the outer shell comprising at least one of aceramic-containing material and an epoxy; insulating material disposedat least partially within the interior, the insulating materialcomprising at least one of soyoyl polyol foam, urethane foam andpolystyrene foam; and a temperature maintaining material disposed withinthe interior, the temperature-maintaining material comprising asuper-absorbent.

Other systems, methods, features, and advantages of the presentinvention will be or become apparent to one with skill in the art uponexamination of the following drawings and detailed description. It isintended that all such additional systems, methods, features, andadvantages be included within this description, be within the scope ofthe present invention, and be protected by the accompanying claims.

DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEW OF THE DRAWINGS

The invention can be better understood with reference to the followingdrawings. The components in the drawings are not necessarily to scale,emphasis instead being placed upon clearly illustrating the principlesof the present invention. In the drawings, like reference numeralsdesignate corresponding parts throughout the several views.

FIG. 1 is a partially cut-away perspective view of a preferredembodiment of the present invention with representative beveragecontainers shown in phantom lines.

FIG. 2 is a partially cut-away, perspective view of an alternativeembodiment of the present invention with representative beveragecontainers shown in phantom lines.

FIG. 3 is a partially cut-away, perspective view of an alternativeembodiment of the present invention with representative beveragecontainers shown in phantom lines.

FIG. 4 is a partially cut-away, perspective view of an alternativeembodiment of the present invention with representative beveragecontainers shown in phantom lines.

FIG. 5 is a partially cut-away, perspective view of an alternativeembodiment of the present invention with representative beveragecontainers shown in phantom lines.

FIG. 6 is a perspective view of an alternative embodiment of the presentinvention.

FIG. 7 is a partially-exploded, cut-away, side view of the embodimentdepicted in FIG. 6.

FIG. 8 is a perspective view of the embodiment depicted in FIGS. 6 and7, showing the lid in an open position.

FIG. 9 is a preferred embodiment of the item retainer, which may beutilized in the container of FIGS. 6-8.

FIG. 10 is a partially-exploded, schematic view of another embodiment ofa container of the present invention.

FIG. 11 is a partially-exploded, schematic view of another embodiment ofa container of the present invention.

FIG. 12 is a partially-exploded, schematic, cut-away view of theembodiment of FIG. 10.

FIG. 13 is a schematic, cut-away view of a sidewall of an alternativeembodiment of a container of the present invention, showing insertion oftemperature-maintaining material within a temperature-maintainingmaterial chamber.

FIG. 14 is a schematic, cut-away view of a representative sidewall of analternative embodiment of a container of the present invention.

FIG. 15 is a schematic, cut-away view of a representative sidewall of analternative embodiment of a container of the present invention.

FIG. 16 is a schematic, plan view of an embodiment of the presentinvention in an unassembled or unfolded configuration.

FIG. 17 is a schematic, plan view of an alternative embodiment of thepresent invention in an unassembled or unfolded configuration.

FIG. 18 is a schematic side view representative of both the embodimentof FIG. 15, as viewed from line A—A, and the embodiment of FIG. 16, asviewed along line B—B.

FIG. 19 is a schematic side view showing a stacking arrangement ofcontainers of the invention.

FIG. 20 is a schematic side view showing another stacking arrangement ofcontainers of the invention.

FIG. 21 is a partially cut-away, schematic view showing assembly detailof sidewalls of an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 22 is a schematic, cut-away view of an alternative embodiment ofthe container of the present invention.

FIG. 23 is a flowchart depicting functionality of a method in accordancewith the present invention.

FIG. 24 is a flowchart depicting functionality in accordance withanother method of the present invention.

FIG. 25 is a flowchart depicting functionality in accordance with stillanother method of the present invention.

FIGS. 26-33 are graphs depicting time versus temperature involvingstorage of items in various embodiments of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Reference will now be made in detail to the drawings, wherein likereference numerals indicate like parts throughout the several views. Asshown in FIG. 1, a preferred embodiment of the cooler 100 of the presentinvention incorporates an outer shell 20, preferably formed of a durablematerial, such as molded plastic, or other suitable materials, and whichdefines an interior. Preferably, one or more storage chambers 70 areprovided within the interior. Storage chambers 70 preferably are adaptedto receive one or more beverage containers 90, such as conventional cansor bottles, with the cooler being constructed so as to chill thebeverages containers 90, and/or maintain the beverages of the containers90 at a suitable chilled temperature, as described hereinafter.

Access to the storage chamber(s) 70, such as for the insertion and/orremoval of beverage containers 90, preferably is facilitated by one ormore caps 80 which removably engage the shell 20. For example, in thepreferred embodiment depicted in FIG. 1, a plurality of caps 80 areprovided along a lower surface of the shell 20, with each of the capsbeing constructed as a “screw-off” cap so that engagement of each of thecaps with the shell is facilitated by rotating the cap relative to theshell. However, in other embodiments, engagement of the cap and shellmay be facilitated by a friction fit, or other suitable means.

Preferably, storage chamber(s) 70 are defined by inner walls of are-freezable material chamber 50 which is adapted to receive and retaina quantity of re-freezable material 30. Preferably, the re-freezablematerial chamber 50 is adapted to conform to the exterior surface of abeverage container 90 and, therefore, fills the interstices formedbetween the various containers. Preferably, in embodiments which areadapted for receiving one beverage container within each storagechamber, each beverage container is surrounded and engaged by the innerwall of the re-freezable material chamber, i.e., on all of its sides andits top.

An insulation chamber 40 preferably is provided between the re-freezablematerial chamber 50 and the shell 20. Preferably, insulation chamber 40is filled with an efficient insulating material 60, such as polyurethanefoam or other suitable material. So configured, each beverage containerinserted within a storage chamber 70 is encased by a layer ofre-freezable material, as well as within a layer of insulation formaintaining the temperature of the re-freezable material at a suitabletemperature.

Additionally, cooler 100 may be provided with a handle 10 so that thecooler is easily transportable. The handle may be formed of numeroussuitable materials, such as plastic or leather, for instance, and may befastened to the cooler in any conventional manner so that the weight ofthe cooler and any beverage container stored therein does not cause thehandle to separate and detach from the shell 20.

As depicted in FIGS. 2-5, various numbers and arrangements of storagecontainers 70 may be provided for storing and cooling various numbers ofbeverage containers 90.

Reference will now be made to FIGS. 6-9, which depict a representativealternative embodiment of the cooler of the present invention. As shownin FIG. 6, cooler 100 includes an outer shell 110 and a lid assembly120. As described in greater detail hereinafter, shell 110 and lid 120cooperate to form a protective enclosure for transporting and/or storingitems placed within an interior of the container. Preferably, shell 110is formed of a substantially rigid material that is adapted forprotecting items placed within the container. Additionally, lid 120preferably is formed, at least partially, of substantially rigidmaterial.

As shown in FIG. 6, lid 120 incorporates a cap or door 130 that isadapted to alternately provide and deny user access to the interior ofthe container. In the embodiment depicted in FIG. 6, door 130 includes arecess 140 that is adapted to receive the fingers of a user so that theuser may urge the door from its closed to its open position.

Referring now to FIG. 7, assembly of the container 100 will be describedin greater detail. As shown in FIG. 7, a layer(s) of insulation 150preferably is disposed within the interior of the container. In someembodiments, insulation 150 is provided adjacent an interior surface ofthe outer shell. An insert 160 is adapted to be received within theinterior. The insert defines a storage chamber 170, which is adapted toreceive one or more items. Re-freezable material 180 preferably isdisposed between an exterior surface of the insert and the layer(s) ofinsulation 150. Engagement of the insert with the outer shell also maytend to retain the insulation 150 and re-freezable material 180 inposition within the interior.

As shown in greater detail in FIG. 7, lid 120 includes a top 190 as wellas door 130. Top 190 is adapted to engage the outer shell so as toprovide a mounting platform for the door. In some embodiments, a gasket200 is provided between the top and the insert.

Insulation also may be provided within the door. More specifically, thedoor may be formed with an insulation-receiving recess 210 that is sizedand shaped for receiving a layer(s) of insulation 220. In order tomaintain the insulation 220 in position relative to the door, a doorinsulation retainer 230 may be provided that is adapted to securelyengage the door.

In order to facilitate moving the door from its closed position(depicted in FIG. 6) to its open position (depicted in FIG. 8), pivots240 of the door are received within orifices 245 so as to enablepivoting of the door about the pivots. In some embodiments, a spring 250is provided for securing the door in the closed position. In particular,spring 250 urges a latch 255 of the door toward engagement with a recess265. Thus, when the latch and recess are aligned, the latch forms aninterference fit, thereby tending to maintain the door in its closedposition.

As shown in FIG. 7, a handle assembly may be provided for facilitatingtransport of the container. Preferably, handle assembly 270 includes astrap portion 275. Each end of the strap portion preferably is adaptedto engage a strap guide 280 of the container, which may be formed on thelid, for example. In some embodiments, a handle may be provided at anintermediate portion of the handle assembly. In these embodiments, thehandle 285 preferably is formed of a substantially rigid material and ismounted to the strap so as to provide a portion of the handle assemblythat is readily suited for grasping by the hand of a user. In theembodiment depicted in FIG. 7, ends of the strap are secured to thestrap guides by hook and loop material 290 although, in otherembodiments, various other mechanisms for securing the strap to thecontainer may be utilized.

As shown in FIGS. 8 and 9, the container 100 may be configured with anitem-receiving retainer 300. Item-receiving retainer 300 defines one ormore item-receiving cavities 310 that may be specifically sized andshaped to conform to an exterior surface of an item to be receivedtherein. For example, the item-receiving cavities 310 depicted in FIG. 8are each specifically configured to receive a test tube or vile 320.Preferably, an exterior surface of the item-receiving retainer isadapted to engage an interior surface of the insert and is configured sothat cooperation of the lid and the outer shell maintains theitem-receiving retainer within the storage chamber.

In addition to substantially maintaining relative positions of itemsstored within the container, the material of the item-receiving retainermay be suitably selected so as to provide shock absorbing. In theseembodiments, such as those embodiments formed of a foamed material, forexample, the item-receiving retainer may reduce the tendency of an itemto break within the container.

In some embodiments, various configurations of item-receiving retainersmay be provided. More specifically, multiple item-receiving retainersmay be provide with a given container, with each item-receiving retainerbeing adapted to receive various configurations of items for storagewithin the container. So provided, the container may be adapted so as tospecifically accommodate transporting and cooling of particularly sizedand shaped items.

Another embodiment of a container in accordance with the presentinvention is depicted schematically in FIG. 10. As shown in FIG. 10,container 100 includes an outer shell 321 that is sized and shaped toreceive an insert 322. When insert 322 is received by shell 321, a gap323 is formed. Insulation (not shown) can be placed in gap 323 betweenthe outer shell and the insert.

Container 100 of FIG. 10 also includes a storage chamber 324 that isdefined by an inner shell 325. Inner shell 325 is received by insert 322so that a second gap 326 is formed. Gap 326 is adapted to receivetemperature-maintaining material (not shown) so that thetemperature-maintaining material is located about the sides and/orbottom of an item placed within the storage chamber.

Access to the storage chamber is provided by a removable lid 327. Lid327 can optionally house insulation and/or temperature-maintainingmaterial. In the embodiment of FIG. 10, the lid includes a nozzle 328that allows liquid to be drawn from the storage chamber when in an openposition. So configured, the container can be used to store varioustypes of items, such as liquids (which can be accessed via the nozzle)and beverage cans (which can be accessed by opening the lid).

Note, the outer shell, insert and inner shell can be held in anassembled configuration by various techniques. For instance, when afoam-type insulation is used, the foam can be injected into gap 323 sothat a portion of the foam contacts the inner shell. This enables theinsulation to perform as an adhesive for bonding the inner shell to theouter shell and insert.

Reference will now be made to FIGS. 11 and 12, which depict anotherembodiment of a container 100 in accordance with the present invention.As shown in FIG. 11, container 100 includes multiple side surfaces thatextend upwardly from a base (shown more clearly in FIG. 12). Inparticular, container 100 includes sidewalls 330, 332, 334 and 336, eachof which extends upwardly from base 340. The sidewalls and the basedefine an interior storage chamber 342 that can be enclosed when a lid344, e.g., a removable lid, is used to engage the sidewalls.

As shown in FIG. 12, the base, sidewalls and lid are shaped to interlockwith each other so that temperature-maintaining material 350 surroundsthe storage chamber. More specifically, each of the base, sidewalls andlid includes a temperature-maintaining material chamber, e.g., chambers352, 354, 356 and 358, that retains temperature-maintaining material. Byway of example, the temperature-maintaining material can be arefreezable material.

Preferably, each of the base, sidewalls and lid, in addition toincorporating a temperature-maintaining material chamber and associatedtemperature-maintaining material, includes an insulation chamber (360,362, 364, 366) with insulation 370 arranged therein. Note, the variouschambers can be defined by a substantially rigid material that also canbe used to form the exterior shell 372 of the container.

Attachment of the base, sidewalls and lid to each other can beaccomplished in numerous manners. By way of example, one or more of thesidewalls could be hingedly attached to the base. Hinged attachment canbe facilitated by hinge mechanisms (not shown) or by a portion of thematerial of the exterior shell (not shown), for example, that is adaptedto flex or bend to accommodate movement of the sidewall with respect tothe base. Note, several different attachment configurations will bedescribed later.

As shown in FIG. 13, a container of the invention can include one ormore temperature-maintaining material chambers that are adapted topermit removal of the temperature-maintaining material. As shown in FIG.13, this can be accommodated by a sidewall 374 including an opening 376.The opening 376 is sized and shaped so that the temperature-maintainingmaterial 350 can be removed, such as for freezing, and then re-insertedinto the chamber through the opening for use. Note, depending upon thetype of temperature-maintaining method used, the material may bepackaged so that it does not break apart.

Various insulation and temperature-maintaining materials can be used.For example, polyurethane foam can be used as the insulation, and agel-forming polymer such as polyacrylate/polyalcohol copolymers can beused as the temperature-maintaining material. Clearly, various othermaterials could be used depending upon characteristics such as theintended operating temperature range, desired weight of the container,and stability/compatibility within the item(s) stored, among others. Theselection of the particular materials is considered within the knowledgeof one of skill in the art.

Clearly, various other arrangements can be used for providing the outershell, insulation, and temperature-maintaining material so that an itemplaced within the storage chamber of the container can be protectedand/or have its temperature maintained. Cut-away views of additionalconfigurations are depicted in FIGS. 14 and 15.

As shown in FIG. 14, insulation 370 and temperature-maintaining material350 are arranged between an outer wall 380 and an inner wall 382 of acontainer. Of particular interest, a gas chamber 384 is provided betweenthe insulation and temperature-maintaining material. The gas chamber isadapted to receive gas 386, such as an inert gas, or other gas that isconsidered suitable for increasing the insulating properties of thecontainer. Depending upon the particular properties of the insulationand temperature-maintaining material, these materials may be adequatefor defining the gas chamber and maintaining the gas therebetween.

Another embodiment that includes a gas chamber is depicted in FIG. 15.As shown in FIG. 15, the gas chamber 388, which is located between theinsulation 370 and the temperature-maintaining material 350, is definedby an inner wall 390 of the insulation chamber 392 and an outer wall 394of the temperature-maintaining material chamber 396. Thus, thisembodiment uses additional structural elements for maintaining thelocation of the gas.

As shown in FIG. 16, the base 400 and sidewalls 402, 404, 406 and 408 ofa container 100 are depicted in a disassembled or unfoldedconfiguration. In this configuration, the sidewalls and base exhibit agenerally flattened structure. Note, the lid 410 is not attached to thebase-sidewall assembly 412. Note, hinge mechanisms 414, 416, 418 and 420attach the sidewalls to the base. The embodiment of FIG. 16 alsoincludes a hanging component 422, which in this case is a ring that canbe used for hanging the container during storage, for example. Forinstance, the ring could attach the container to a hook suspended withina freezer.

FIG. 17 also depicts an embodiment of a storage container 100 in itsdisassembled or unfolded configuration. In particular, sidewalls 430,432, 434 and 436 are attached to base 400. Compared to the embodiment ofFIG. 16, however, the embodiment of FIG. 17 includes a lid 442 that ishingedly attached to the unfolded structure. In particular, the lid isattached to sidewall 436.

In those embodiments that are configured to unfold into a generallyflattened structure, it is shown that the space taken up by thestructure is somewhat less than that used when the sidewalls and lid areassembled, such as depicted in FIG. 11. This unfolded configuration isconsidered advantageous, in that less volume is required within which toplace the container. By way of example, when multiple containers are tobe placed within a freezer so that the temperature-maintaining materialcan be frozen, more containers can be placed within the freezer in theunfolded configuration than would otherwise be able to be placed in thefreezer when the containers are assembled.

As shown in the schematic side view of FIG. 18, the lid 450, base 452,and/or one or more of the sidewalls 454 of a container 100 can includeprotrusions 456 that extend outwardly from an exterior surface 458 ofthe container 100. These protrusions can be used to form air flowchannels 460 between the containers and the surface 462 upon which it isplaced. Clearly, the number and arrangement of protrusions can varyamong embodiments. Preferably, the protrusions are arranged in rows thatare spaced parallel from each other.

In FIG. 19, two containers (100A, 100B) are shown stacked one upon theother. In this arrangement, air (depicted by arrows) is able to flowbetween the containers, as well as between the lowermost container andsurface 462.

As shown in FIG. 20, embodiments of containers 100 also can incorporaterecesses 470, which are complimentary shaped with respect to theprotrusions 456. Thus, the containers (100C, 100D) can nest within eachother. Stacking the containers in a nested configuration enables thecontainers to take up less space, such as during shipping when they arenot in use.

As depicted in FIG. 21, the sidewalls can incorporate mating componentsthat are adapted to mate with each other to form a more rigid assemblyand/or complete seal about the storage chamber. As shown in FIG. 21,sidewall 480 includes a protruding member 482, while sidewall 484includes a complimentary shaped recess 486. The protruding member isreceived by the recess as the sidewalls are assembled, such as by movingsidewall 484 in the direction indicated by the arrow receiving theprotruding member. In some embodiments, the protruding member and recesscan include surfaces for forming an interference fit when the protrudingmember is inserted within the recess. Thus, by inserting the protrudingmember within the recess and forming the interference fit, a tendencyfor the sidewalls to separate from each other during use can be reduced.

Another embodiment of a storage container 100 is depicted schematicallyin FIG. 22. As shown in FIG. 22, storage container 100 defines aninterior 488 within which items (not shown) can be placed.Temperature-maintaining material can be placed at various locations ofthe storage container. In the embodiment depicted in FIG. 22,temperature-maintaining material 490 is located at a bottom of thecontainer, temperature-maintaining material 491 is located at the top ofthe container, temperature-maintaining material 492 is located at afirst side of the container and temperature-maintaining 493 is locatedat a second side of the container. Also depicted in FIG. 22 istemperature-maintaining material 494 that is placed within the interior488 and which, preferably, is not secured to the container. Inparticular, temperature-maintaining material 494 is stored within acontainer 495 that can be a bag or other structure that substantiallyretains the temperature-maintaining material. Typically, the container495 is enabled to be moved about the interior although, in someembodiments, the container may be adapted to be maintained in aparticular position within the interior.

Clearly, in other embodiments, temperature-maintaining material can beplaced in one or more of the positions identified in FIG. 22. Note, theshape, size and/or thickness of the temperature-maintaining material candiffer between embodiments.

Various materials can be used for forming embodiments of containers inaccordance with the invention. By way of example, insulation that isincorporated into and/or forms the walls, top and/or bottom of acontainer can be formed, at least partially, of urethane and/or soyoylpolyol. Of particular interest is the use of soyoyl polyol, as thismaterial is biodegradable. Thus, biodegradable containers that aresuitable for one-time use can be provided. In some of these embodiments,an outer shell can be used. For instance, a biodegradable material suchas cardboard could be used as an outer shell that protects theinsulation.

Typically, embodiments of containers in accordance with the inventioninclude multiple material layers. Various materials and/or combinationsof materials can be used to form each of the layers, with each of thelayers performing one or more of the following functions: providingstructural support for the container, insulating the container andprotecting the container.

With respect to supporting the container structurally, various materialscan be used. By way of example, soyoyl polyol foam, urethane foam,polystyrene and cardboard are considered useful as these materials arerelatively light in weight, are relatively rigid and suited for theapplication of coatings (described later). Additionally, soyoyl polyol,urethane and polystyrene offer improved insulating properties and, thus,can enhance the insulative characteristics of the containers in whichthey are incorporated.

Various materials can be used to insulate the containers. In someembodiments, insulating properties of the containers are enhanced by oneor more material layers in addition to the material(s), used to providestructural support for the container (described before). For example,one or more layers of soyoyl polyol, urethane foam and/or polystyrenecan be used. Additionally or alternatively, other materials, such asthose applied as coatings, can be used. By way of example, coatings thatincorporate ceramics, such as SUPERTHERM™ manufactured by SuperiorProducts International of Shawnee, Kans. can be used. Materials such asSUPERTHERM™ can be applied to the interior and/or exterior of thecontainers. Specifically, the material can be applied to the materialthat provides structural support to the container. Additionally oralternatively, such a material can be applied to another material thatis used to insulate the container.

Various materials also can be used to form an outer shell of acontainer. Such an outer shell can be used to protect the inner materiallayers of the container and, thereby, improves the durability of thecontainer. This can allow the container to be used more than once.Various durable materials such as ureas, e.g., urea polymers and/orcopolymers, cardboard, coatings that incorporate ceramics, such asSUPERTHERM™, epoxies, such as EPOXOTHERM™, and enamels, suchpolyurethane enamels, e.g., ENAMOGRIP™, can be used. Clearly, variousother materials can be used to form an outer shell. Note, the materialforming the outer shell also can provide enhancements in insulatingcharacteristics of the container.

In some embodiments, the material used to form the insulation of acontainer also can be used to form an outer shell. In particular,various materials that form outer skins or hardened layers can be used.By way of example, ureas, e.g., urea polymers and/or copolymers, can beused to form insulated structures that incorporate hardened outersurfaces. Also, materials configured as foams can be used to forminsulated structures with hardened outer surfaces. These hardened outersurfaces or skins typically form as the material contacts the form intowhich the material is placed.

Various types of temperature-maintaining materials also can be used. Byway of example, acrylate-based superabsorbents can be used. Forinstance, polacrylate/polyalcohol polymers and/or copolymers, such asAP85-38 manufactured by Emerging Technologies, Inc. of Greensboro, N.C.Norsocryl D-60, LiquiBlock, AT-03S, LiquiBlock 88, LiquiBlock 75,LiquiBlock 44-0C, among others can be used.

As described before, temperature-maintaining material can beincorporated into a container in various manners, such as by disposingthe material between adjacent walls of the container and/or providingthe temperature-maintaining materials in a package that can be placedwithin the interior of the container. Note, in use, thepolymers/copolymers are allowed to absorb liquid, such as water, and thetemperature of the temperature-maintaining materials can be adjusted asdesired.

As mentioned before, containers of the invention can be used for storingitems, while maintaining, increasing or decreasing the temperature ofthe items stored in the containers. The various functions associatedwith the containers of the invention will now be described with respectto several flowcharts. In this regard, FIG. 23 is a flowchart depictinga method in accordance with the invention.

As shown in FIG. 23, the method may be construed as beginning at block502, where an embodiment of a container of the invention is provided. Inblock 504, an item is placed in the container. In block 506, thecontainer with the item inserted therein can be transported.

Various items can be stored and/or transported within containers of theinvention. For instance, food products, beverages, pharmaceuticalproducts, and biological matter, such as plants, tissues, organs, andblood can be stored and/or transported within the containers. Clearly,various other items could be used with embodiments of the invention,particularly those items that may require their respective temperaturesto be maintained, reduced and/or increased for a period of time, such asduring transport.

As depicted in FIG. 24, another method in accordance with the inventionmay be construed beginning at block 522, where a container is provided.In block 524, the temperature-maintaining material of the container isadjusted to exhibit a selected temperature. By way of example, when thetemperature-maintaining material is a refreezable material, the materialcan be frozen. In block 526, an item is placed within the container and,thereafter (block 528), the container with the item stored therein istransported. In block 530, the item is removed from the container, suchas by accessing the storage chamber and removing the item from thestorage chamber. Based upon the configuration of the container and thetime the item has been stored within the container, the item preferablyexhibits desired temperature characteristics.

Another method of the invention is depicted in FIG. 25. As shown in FIG.25, the method may be construed as beginning at block 540, where acontainer in accordance with the invention is provided in a disassembledor unfolded configuration. In block 542, the temperature of thetemperature-maintaining material of the container is adjusted. In block544, the container is assembled and, such as depicted in block 548, anitem is placed within a storage chamber of the assembled container. Inblock 550, the container with the item inserted therein is transportedto an intended destination and, in block 552, the item is removed fromthe container.

Several prototype containers were constructed in accordance with theinvention and were subjected to testing. Results from the testsconducted will now be described.

EXAMPLE 1

In this example, a container was formed as a 6″×6″×6″ box with 1.5″thick polyurethane insulation. The insulating material surroundedtemperature-maintaining material in the form of a gel-forming polymer.Approximately 24 ounces of gel-forming polymer was located at the baseof the container, 16 ounces of the polymer was located at the lid or topof the container. The item placed in the storage chamber was 0.74 lbs.of steak, which was placed into the storage chamber after the steak andthe container were allowed to cool to a temperature of 4.9° F. Thecontainer with the item stored therein was then placed in an ambientenvironment which was approximately 75° F. The results of this exampleare depicted in FIG. 26.

EXAMPLE 2

In this example, another container (8.5″×8.5″×8.25″) was formed with1.5″ polyurethane insulation. Twenty-four ounces of gel-forming polymerwas located at the base, 16 ounces of gel-forming polymer was located ateach of the sidewalls, 16 ounces of gel-forming polymer was located atthe lid, and 4 ounces of gel-forming polymer was located at each of the4 corners of the container. Ground beef, (1.87 lbs.) was inserted intothe storage chamber, which was then cooled to 35.8° F. After cooling,the container was placed in an ambient environment of approximately 75°F. As depicted in FIG. 27, the ground beef was maintained at or below40° F. for approximately 127 hours.

EXAMPLE 3

In this example, a cylindrical container (see FIG. 10) was formed with 6oz. of foam-type insulation. Five ounces of gel-forming polymer waslocated in a gap formed between the inner shell and the insert. Theouter shell, insert and inner shell were formed of plastic.

The container was placed in a freezer, which was maintained at 1.5° F.Two cans of Bud Light® were placed in a refrigerator, which wasmaintained at 33.1° F. After removing the container from the freezer,the cans were placed inside the container. The container with the storedcan were then placed in a room with an ambient temperature of 75.5° F.Results are depicted in FIG. 28.

EXAMPLE 4

The container used in example 3 was used again in this example. Thistime, the container was placed in a freezer, which was maintained at3.6° F. Two cans of Bud Light® were placed in a refrigerator, which wasmaintained at 33.7° F. After removing the container from the freezer,the cans were placed inside the container, which was placed in a roomwith an ambient temperature of 75.5° F. Results are depicted in FIG. 29.

EXAMPLE 5

The container used in examples 3 and 4 was used again in this example.Two cans of Diet Coke® were inserted in the container with the containerexhibiting a temperature of 4.3° F. at start, with each of the cansexhibiting a start temperature of 37.5° F. The container with the storedcans was then placed in an ambient environment of 70° F.

As depicted in FIG. 30, the beverages were maintained at temperatures ofless than 37° F. for approximately two hours. Due to the large number ofdata points, the curve shown represents a moving average of the datapoint values. Note, the temperature of the beverages dropped forapproximately 30 minutes to 34° F. and stabilized for approximately 90minutes. The temperature began to rise and reached approximately 37° F.at approximately 150 minutes, then continued to rise to 40° F. atapproximately 190 minutes.

EXAMPLE 6

In this example, a container in a box-type configuration was used.Approximate dimensions of the container are 1.25′×1.25′×1.25′. Tenpouches of gel-forming polymer, weighing a total of 7.8 lbs., were used.The polymer was cooled to approximately 4° F. and inserted into thestorage chamber of the container. In particular, the bags were placed onthe bottom, sides, corners and top of the storage chamber. Hamburgermeat (3″×8″×4″) weighing approximately 7.8 lbs. and exhibiting aninitial temperature of 23.4° F. was then placed in the container.

FIG. 31 shows the temperature profile which indicates that the meatclimbed to a temperature of 32° F. within one hour. The temperature atthe gel/meat interface remained constant at 34° F. for approximately 110hours, then began a very slow increase to 39° F. over the next 50 hours.After 166 hours, the container was opened and the meat was removed.Approximately one inch of the meat against the gel packs appeared brownin color, while the center of the meat was natural red in color.

EXAMPLE 7

In this example, the container of example 6 was used to determine theviability of antifreeze/gel-forming polymer-based refreezable materialto maintain the temperature of items. In particular, one pint vanillaHaggendas® ice cream was placed in the container.

A 75:25 mixture of antifreeze (ethylene glycol) and water was mixed with2.5 teaspoons of a dry polymer gel. Approximately 2.03 lbs. of themixture was then dispensed into 6 Ziplock® bags and frozen in liquidnitrogen. The frozen bags and the ice cream, which had an initialtemperature of 11° F., were placed in the storage chamber. The containerwas maintained at room temperature (72-74° F.) for 68 hours. The resultsare depicted in the graph of FIGS. 31 and 32.

The foregoing description has been presented for purposes ofillustration and description. It is not intended to be exhaustive or tolimit the invention to the precise forms disclosed. Modifications orvariations are possible in light of the above teachings. The embodimentor embodiments discussed, however, were chosen and described to providethe best illustration of the principles of the invention and itspractical application to thereby enable one of ordinary skill in the artto utilize the invention in various embodiments and with variousmodifications as are suited to the particular use contemplated. All suchmodifications and variations, are within the scope of the invention asdetermined by the appended claims when interpreted in accordance withthe breadth to which they are fairly and legally entitled.

What is claimed is:
 1. A container for storing an item comprising: anouter shell defining an interior and an opening, the opening providingaccess to the interior, the outer shell comprising cardboard; a storagechamber located within the interior and communicating with the opening,the storage chamber being adapted to receive at least one item via theopening; insulating material disposed within the interior between thestorage chamber and the outer shell, the insulating material comprisingoil from at least one vegetable; and re-freezable material disposedwithin the interior, the re-freezable material being adapted to maintaina temperature of the storage chamber and of an item placed within thestorage chamber.
 2. The container of claim 1, wherein the insulatingmaterial comprises soy oil.
 3. The container of claim 2, wherein theouter shell is a cardboard box, and the insulating material is a foamapplied to the interior of the cardboard box.
 4. The container of claim3, wherein the re-freezable material is an acrylate-basedsuper-absorbent.
 5. The container of claim 1, wherein the insulatingmaterial comprises at least one of soy oil polyol foam, urethane foamand polystyrene foam.
 6. The container of claim 1, wherein an exteriorof the insulating material is coated with at least one of an ureapolymer, an urea copolymer, a ceramic-containing coating, a polyurethaneenamel and an epoxy.
 7. The container of claim 1, further comprisingmeans for coating the exterior of the outer shell.
 8. The container ofclaim 1, wherein the outer shell, the insulating material, and there-freezable material are biodegradable.
 9. A method for storing items,said method comprising: providing a container comprising: an outer shelldefining an interior and an opening for providing access to theinterior, the outer shell comprising cardboard; a storage chamberlocated within the interior and communicating with the opening, thestorage chamber being adapted to receive at least one item via theopening; insulating material disposed within the interior between thestorage chamber and the outer shell, the insulating material comprisingoil from at least one vegetable; and re-freezable material disposedwithin the interior, the re-freezable material being adapted to maintaina temperature of an item placed within the storage chamber; andtransporting the container.
 10. The method of claim 9, furthercomprising: placing an item in the storage chamber of the container. 11.The method of claim 10, further comprising: transporting the containerwith the item stored therein.
 12. The method of claim 9, furthercomprising: freezing the re-freezable material.
 13. The method of claim9, further comprising: placing an item in the storage chamber afterfreezing the re-freezable material.
 14. The method of claim 13, wherein,in transporting the container, the container is transported with theitem store therein.
 15. The method of claim 14, further comprising:reusing the container.
 16. The method of claim 9, wherein providing acontainer comprises: applying the insulating material to the interior ofthe cardboard box.